African Entrepreneurship Record

Constantine and his old friend spoke openly about everything, naturally, focusing more on the management of the colonies.

Though Constantine did not partake in the early management of East Africa as a colony, he had certainly witnessed it, especially when he was crowned King of East Africa during the transition from a colony to a kingdom.

At that time, much of East Africa still operated under a colonial model, particularly those newly occupied areas. Prince Karl was not idly listening to Constantine’s boasting; he genuinely wanted to learn from the East African model.

Managing a colony is not difficult; with guns in hand, it can be achieved. The most primitive colonial method, after all, relies on ”plunder.”

Now colonial management has upgraded to a ”cooperative” model, similar to Britain, which co-opted a large group of Indian princes and nobles to jointly exploit and oppress the Indian masses.

Britain also built roads, dug canals, and constructed railways in India, which was unseen before; during the Portuguese and Spanish colonial eras, they would not engage in infrastructure development in their colonies at all.

As for the Dutch, they focused more on trade methods, but unfortunately, their size was too small, ultimately failing in competition with Britain.

What deserved Prince Karl’s attention in East Africa was its rapidly expanding national power, which completed the transition from a primitive society to a modern one in just a decade.

This isn’t difficult; once the population is in place, colonial development becomes much easier. Of course, Africans can also be included, although there aren’t many Africans in Africa—after all, they are one of the three major races, yet the total hasn’t reached one hundred million, and after East Africa’s exploits, there might now only be seventy million or so.

East Africa did not engage in massacres, but East Africa carried out forced mass migrations; back then, just the six to seven million natives fleeing from the Great Lakes Region to West Africa left a trail of blood, for wherever one goes, land and wealth have to be seized.

However, East Africa bore no psychological burden, as long as blood wasn’t spilled within East African borders, it was considered tribal vendetta among the ”Uncles,” unrelated to East Africa. This is the difference between a robber and a murderer, with East Africa and America, though it’s obvious which is worse. America does both; East Africa just adds a human trafficker label, with America as the buyer, illustrating an irony of that era.

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”This little one must be Jena! So cute, she looks just like Karina did as a child.” Empress Dowager Sophie lovingly embraced Princess Jena.

Communication between East Africa and Austria is still convenient, with no shortage of telegrams and telephones, so Empress Dowager Sophie knew of the little one’s existence before Jena was born.

Little Jena was sleepy but didn’t cry out loud when held by the ”stranger.” Her chubby face was very adorable.

”Grandmother, you’re exaggerating, how could they look exactly alike?” Karina protested while cuddling Empress Dowager Sophie’s arm.

”Hehe, I took care of you personally as a child, and you don’t remember your infant looks. Look at this nose, these eyes...” Empress Dowager Sophie played the game of finding similarities.

It must be said that Empress Dowager Sophie looks much younger now than in her past life, mainly because her beloved son Grand Duke Ferdinand wasn’t executed in Mexico and can still visit her often, making her life more content. Of course, her tumultuous relationship with Princess Sisi has never changed.

”Little Friedrich is with his grandfather in East Africa. Given the scarcity of the royal Heixinggen family, for political stability, he couldn’t come to Austria, so there’s only a photo.” Grand Duke Ferdinand showed his mother a photo of his grandson.

The original plan was to paint a portrait, but little Friedrich was too lively to sit still, so they had to settle for a photo, which, though less dynamic, was more realistic.

While the family was enjoying their time together, Ernst and his uncle, Emperor Franz, were in the study discussing the relationship between East Africa and the Austria-Hungary Empire.

Now East Africa has the strength to engage with the Austria-Hungary Empire as equals. Even Franz had to pay attention to East Africa’s existence, just the annual profits East Africa ceded weren’t a small amount.

”Haven’t the British sanctioned you for almost a year? I haven’t heard about any follow-up actions recently. What is your current relationship?” Franz inquired.

”Previously, Afghanistan diverted Britain’s attention since Afghanistan directly relates to India, which is Britain’s lifeline, so Britain focused all efforts on dealing with Afghanistan. As for now, we aren’t worried about British trouble; they are focusing on confronting the Orange people.”

”Orange people?”

Currently, only East Africa refers to them this way; other countries might not even know about the existence of the Orange Free State.

”They are what were once known as the Boers living in South Africa. After we destroyed the Transvaal, most residents migrated to the Boer nation, the Orange Free State.

The Transvaal immigrants and the original residents of the Orange Free State are now engaged in civil war. To distinguish them, we call them the Transvaal people and the Orange people respectively,” Ernst was forced to explain to Franz the complex relationships involved.

The location of the Orange Free State is indeed awkward, turned into a landlocked country amidst East Africa and Cape Town. Aside from having diamonds, it isn’t very valuable, which naturally wouldn’t draw attention. Much like Outer Mongolia squeezed between two powers in a previous life, but its area isn’t as large. East Africa and Britain don’t prioritize it much, with its channels of interaction cut off by the two, leaving it voiceless.

Thus, the fate of the Orange Free State is to remain unseen by the outside world, with its civil war known only to neighbors East Africa and Britain.

”If they are all Boers, why are they fighting among themselves instead of uniting against you?”

”Cough, cough, uncle, you’re mistaken. East Africa has always been a nation that is kind to others. At least the Orange people know our goodwill,” Ernst shamelessly said.

”Did you instigate the internal conflict among the Boers?”

”Certainly not, if we had that capability, we would have done it long ago. If East Africa was inciting, Orange people and Transvaal people wouldn’t split; they might unite to oppose us. After all, our eradication of the Transvaal Republic is an undeniable fact.”

”If not by your doing, why are they internally fighting, and as you say, shouldn’t they fear you taking advantage?

”This is thanks to the grandeur and wisdom of the British. Britain is now the sovereign country of the Orange Free State. Uncle, you know, Boers and the British have always been at odds. If the Orange State is incorporated into a British colony, the Orange people naturally won’t behave. They are bound to oppose the British on certain matters for their rights.

If this were another colony, the Orange people might really gain rights, but theirs admitted many Transvaal people.

Many Transvaal people wish for restoration, and facing a powerful nation like East Africa, they rely on the British, so Britain opted to collaborate with the Transvaal people.

Thus, Britain actively sowed discord, splitting the Boers into two factions. Now the Orange Free State’s internal unrest is unresolved, preventing Britain from concentrating forces in South Africa for confrontation with us.”